The New ‘Jumanji’ Movie Is Set In A Video Game, Plus Jack Black Is A Teen Girl

The remake of the 1995 classic kids movie, Jumanji, will be based on a video game rather than a board game. The newly named, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, will see four characters pitted against dangerous animals as they solve puzzles to get themselves freed from the video game version of Jumanji.

“In a brand new Jumanji adventure, the tables are turned as four teenagers are sucked into Jumanji’s world – pitted against rhinos, black mambas and an endless variety of jungle traps and puzzles. To survive, they’ll play as characters from the game: meek Spencer becomes a braveexplorer (Dwayne Johnson); hulky jock Fridge becomes a tiny genius (Kevin Hart); It-girl Bethany becomes a bookworm professor (Jack Black); and unathletic Martha becomes an amazonian warrior (Karen Gillan). To beat the game and return to the real world with their lives, they’ll have to start seeing things in an entirely different way.”

At Sony’s CinemaCon panel on Monday night, new footage from Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was also revealed. While this clip is not yet available to the public, The Hollywood Reportergave a rundown on what was seen.

According to THR, the footage for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle revealed four teens in detention who are tasked with cleaning out their school’s basement. While there, they come across an old game console from the 90s that includes the game, Jumanji. When the teens start the game, they each chose a character and soon discover they have turned into their chosen characters who are played by Kevin Hart (as a character called Moose Finbar), The Rock (Dr. Smolder Bravestone), Jack Black (Professor Shelly Oberon), and Karen Gillan (Ruby Roundhouse).

What’s interesting to note is the fact that the teenage girl present in Jumanji chooses the character played by Jack Black. This means Jack Black will, essentially, be playing the part of a teen girl in this rendition of Jumanji. The resident nerd in this Jumanji movie then turns out to be the character played by The Rock, something the teen character is very impressed with.

They must then somehow work out how to escape the jungle world of Jumanji by placing “a jewel back into a statue,” according toGizmodo. However, it becomes increasingly obvious this task is much harder than it seems — even if they do have three lives each. But, just like in a video game, if they lose their three lives, then that’s it, game over in the Jumanji jungle world. Quickly, the teens work out that, because they are in a video game, they have special powers. For example, in the new Jumanji movie, Dr. Smolder Bravestone is incredibly strong and Ruby Roadhouse is a dance fighter.

[Image by Sony Pictures Entertainment]

Previously, images released for the new Jumanji movie was met with disdain from some as Karen Gillan’s character appeared over-sexualized in a skimpy outfit consisting of a midriff top, shorts and high boots. The cast tried to alleviate the uproar by claiming there was a reason for her skimpy outfit. Now, considering she is a character from a 90s video game, perhaps this is the reasoning behind the clothing choice. In fact, as Gizmodo points out, even Gillan’s character points out how ridiculous her costume is in the new clip for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has always insistedJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is not a remake of the original, but, instead a “continuation of the awesome Jumanji story.” And, for those that are a fan of the original movie, make sure you keep an eye out for the new movie’s homage to the original. Included are some familiar CGI rhinos and a mention of Alan Parrish, the character Robin Williams played in the original Jumanji movie.

Are you looking forward to this new take on Jumanji? Let us know by commenting below.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will be released in theaters on December 22, 2017.